Gabb, Thomas: Finis pyramidis or Disquisitions concerning the antiquity and scientific end of the great pyramid of Giza, or ancient Memphis, in Egypt, and of the first standard of linear measure (Retford, 1806)

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measure, called Stadium, which was determined by a
stated number of paces (passus) in the manner the acre
is determined by a fixed number of perches, viz, 160,
let the perch be more or less, for in some parts of En-
gland the perch is 16^ feet, in others 24 feet, as in Staf-
fordshire. In like manner the pace (125 of which was
the linear measure, called a Stadium,) is in itself of va-
rious lengths. The word passus is certainly of Roman
etymology; but when vocabularies are consulted, in
search of it's import, all we gather amounts to nothing:
some vocabularists deriving it from pando, insinuate that
it means the space equal to the greatest extension of the
arms, which is about six English feet : others a space
equal to the length of a stride, the greatest that can be
made by a middle-sized man ; and this, though still but
vague, is more reasonable, for certainly a pace is more
congenial with an exertion made by the feet than by the
arms. The average of such strides, will be found about
ft.3, in.8 English : and the half of this may reasonably
be assumed, for the length called gressus, i. e. a step; and
a gentleman* walking at ease, takes not more than ft.1,
in.10 each step: thus restraining the vague origin of
gressus and passus, to a practical average, in our
own known measures ; it is natural to inquire why the
Romans estimated the gressus at 2£ feet, and the passus
at 5 feet ? And the solution of this problem is, shat the
foot, by which these are determined, was undoubtedly
the pyramidic foot, of which 5 are equal to ft.3, in.7.776.
And this is what the average of men's strides, will be

found

* By Lord Chesterfield's mie a Gentleman should not be seen to
walk in a hurry like a man of business; of course he takes a shorter
step.